Sparse turnout suggests light interest in primary

Diane Raptus, above left, and Sandy McCabe, clerks at the Mahoning County Board of Elections, stuffed and mailed absentee ballots Tuesday, the first day for early voting for the May 3 primary. Early voting continues until election day at all county boards of election in the Valley.

EARLY VOTING | Hours

Here are hours for those wanting to vote early at county boards of elections Mondays through Fridays until election day.

It was the first day for early voting for the May 3 primary, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the counters at county boards of elections in the Mahoning Valley.

In Mahoning County, five people went to the board of elections Tuesday, the first day for early voting. About 20 early voters were at the Trumbull board. In Columbiana County, there were no early voters.

“I don’t know if people are aware [Tuesday was] the first day for early voting,” said Adam Booth, director of the Columbiana County Board of Elections. “It’s not at the forefront of anyone’s minds.”

County boards of elections also mailed absentee ballots Tuesday, the first day they could do so.

Mahoning County mailed 418 ballots, Trumbull sent 375, and Columbiana mailed about 100.

“Right now, I’m not sure people are focused on the election,” said Thomas McCabe, director of the Mahoning County Board of Elections. “It’s a small election, an off-year, and there’s not much in the way of campaigning yet.”

But even if there were a lot of campaigning for the upcoming election, McCabe said, “It’s going to be light turnout” in the primary.

The interest in Mahoning County, small as it is right now, is from Poland and Canfield, which have new tax levies on the May 3 ballot, he said.

In Trumbull County, the races of note are for Warren mayor and Girard Municipal Court judge, said Kelly Pallante, the county’s elections board director.